University out of step with cuts

How heartening to read the special report appreciating arts and culture as the creative kick-start and the tool for social change in society, with the mention of evidence showing the “benefit [to] our economy, our local communities, and our personal wellbeing . . . the way to help manage the stresses and strains of this modern digital world. . . . I believe arts and creativity are integral and inseparable parts of what it is to be human” (PM Jacinda Ardern). How sadly ironic that our University of Auckland is clamping down on arts when this evidence is in.

The Music School restructure is an example, where five of the most gifted researchers, teachers and performers are to be made redundant in the current proposal. They are also widely known for their deep commitment within our community, and some contribute nationally and internationally as well. Like the university library restrictions and closures, this university direction does not make sense in our modern world.

Christine Keller Smith, Northcote Point.

Trade training

Cheyne McDowall’s letter criticises the building industry for not training enough New Zealanders. Training is a nice ideal, however realities very often thwart ideals. Construction is a highly cyclical and competitive industry in which profits are volatile, often meagre, and losses, sometimes very large, are not uncommon, which the exit of Mainzeal, Fletcher, Multiplex, and Hawkins-McConnell suggest or demonstrably confirm.

Customers understandably want to pay as little as they can because projects entail major costs, and contractors mostly oblige in that, bidding to win projects amid fierce competition. Simply, profits are not stable or robust enough to allow the luxury of costs, time and overhead resources for sustained training over a decade. Losses or at best scant profits are common for three to four years during recessions in each decade business cycle, when contractors have to lay off staff, to be faced with labour shortages four to five years later with the next upturn.

Contractors of all sizes and trades can report the challenge of finding people suitable for training. There is a range of the very good to the hopeless, and those who do not want to get their hands dirty.

Rod McIntyre, Glendowie.

Govt priorities

Two short paragraphs in the paper caught my eye. Did anyone else notice the bizarre content of one report that the MBIE is boosting the “enhanced partnership” collaboration project with Singaporean scientists to further the proposed “future foods” scheme? With a wee gift of just $57 million.

That little boost is to build on the work done over more than four decades. Where is the tangible proof of 40 years’ collaborative scientific work?

I don’t think we were overly concerned about food products from novel sources back in 1978, or did I miss something?

Further down the same column appears another tale of the struggle of life in the here and now. The principal of Cannon’s Creek School is disappointed the now-Government’s pre-election promise to scrap voluntary school donations did not eventuate in the recent Budget.

The school has 170 pupils. Donations are not asked for, as parents can’t afford them. The pre-election promise of $150 per pupil would have given this decile 1A school an extra $25,500 per year for activities and resources.

Priorities? Promises? Never mind, Mrs O’Neill, your pupils will be able to say that they helped fund scientific and innovative efforts to create future food products from novel sources.

Aileen Hart, Havelock North.

Housing shortage

The Auckland housing crisis is not getting any better. It cannot be fixed by focusing entirely on supply. National proved that.

Immigration has not reduced; net migration is only slightly down because Kiwis are starting to leave again. Sooner or later this Government needs to accept these inconvenient truths and address the population growth demand issue. Hoping the Auckland housing crisis will be fixed by disillusioned, young Kiwi families moving to Australia is not a good solution.

Derek Wallwork, Takapuna.

Praise for hospital

I have recently attended Auckland City Hospital with a rare and difficult to diagnose condition. I found the the whole experience excellent. The facilities are modern and very good. The professional staff, both doctors and nurses, were understanding and compassionate in their communication to patients.

As a retired dentist I am well aware of the need for caring communication when attending anxious patients. I give strong congratulations to hospital and the adjacent Auckland Medical School. Both research out the best facilities and equipment and provide the best training for their doctors, nurses and ancillary staff.

Craig Fraser, St Heliers.

Care of cattle

The Minister of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Damien O’Connor, says farmers with M. bovis on their farms are gutted as their cows are like a part of their family. Yes Minister! On say a typical 600-cow dairy farm, each year 450 calves are culled (4-day-old bobby calves aka veal) and about 150 heifer calves are retained as replacements for the dairy herd.

I know most farmers, certainly not all of them, treat their stock in a professional and caring manner — but really, members of the family? Please, a bit more truth and less “male cow pats”. Leave that stuff for the paddocks. Ian Wilson, Ngawahia.

EU trade deal

It is heartening to read that our officials are actively seeking to “safeguard our ability to regulate and decide what is best for New Zealand and our people” as part of negotiations for an EU free-trade agreement.

This is refreshingly different from the TPPA and its successor, where the focus was almost entirely on improved trade access for our exporters with little or no obvious effort to protect New Zealanders’ interests and our way of life.

Contrary to frequent accusations that opponents of the TPPA were simply opposed to free trade, most of the wellfounded criticisms were about the many ways in which TPPA could permanently undermine protection of our environment, our public health and education systems, workers’ rights, etc.

Measures to protect multinational business interests were emphasised over and above the common interest.

Hopefully this time around there will be more opportunities for public input and a more balanced outcome.

Graeme Easte, Mount Albert.

Ma¯ori wards

I see that results are in from referendums held to ask local body ratepayers if they think there should be extra wards (ie councillors) for Ma¯ori. The result is that all five local bodies turned Ma¯ori wards down by significant votes of between 56 per cent and 80 per cent.

This should send a clear message to the few who have been trying to introduce Ma¯ori wards, that the people overwhelmingly do not believe it is a good idea; for reasons that are obvious — let’s come together, not move further apart.

Rex Beer, Manly.

Waterfront stadium

Even if the crowds come and someone stupid enough to fund it is found, there is still one big elephant in the room which will ensure the stadium is a disaster.

Access! A stadium built anywhere near the waterfront can only be approached from one side. The west. All southern and northern traffic has to turn in and approach from the west also.

I defy anyone to look around the world and come up with a stadium that is shut into a dead end and still works. Eden Park can be approached from all sides and accepts and disperses large numbers of patrons in relatively quick time.

It is time Phil Goff and his colleagues faced reality. The people are not going to pay for a white elephant and no reliable developer or funder will go near it.

Brent Marshall, Arkles Bay.

Three strikes

The three strikes law is not causing prison overcrowding. Only 16 people made it to two strikes this year. So 16 criminals have to serve their full sentence with no possibility of parole. These criminals are exactly the people we want to stay in prison. Prison overcrowding is being caused by the bail laws, not the three strikes law. It is the bail laws that must be changed. As for how well the three strikes law is working at cutting down crime, we can’t know yet because it hasn’t been in force for long enough.

John Caldwell, Howick.